White Lightning

[wardog]

It's rumored on several other (non-racing) boards that White Lightning is being restored by Nelson Ezell and then going to Duxford.

Any truth to this?

[DPK2]

Re: White Lightning

I know Nelson made an offer to buy White Lightning a while back but it was turned down.

As far as I know she is still in the hanger at Burnett but things could have changed.

[Section3guy]

Re: White Lightning

but we will not be seeing white lightin rounding the pylons soon....every one say there prayers

[matt]

Re: White Lightning

it would be a shame to see white lightnin' restored to a stock airframe and paintscheme. that planes been racing since cleveland, loads of racing history in her.

[speeddemon]

Re: White Lightning

it would be a shame to see white lightnin' restored to a stock airframe and paintscheme. that planes been racing since cleveland, loads of racing history in her.

Oooooooooh, maybe you're on to something there, matt. Restore her as the # 14 "Sky Ranger" from 1947 with the clipped wings, short stacks, and big scoops on top of the cowlings. Now THAT would be very cool!

[Peashooter]

Re: White Lightning

it would be a shame to see white lightnin' restored to a stock airframe and paintscheme. that planes been racing since cleveland, loads of racing history in her.

But it's best known under Lefty's care and "guidance."

[Randy Haskin]

Re: White Lightning

Over on the WIX board they're saying that it's been purchased by the Red Bull folks.

[wardog]

Re: White Lightning

there was stuff on the flypast forum as well, but the first place I heard about it was WIX

[matt]

Re: White Lightning

"RETURN OF THE SKY RANGER!" got a nice ring to it

[DPK2]

Re: White Lightning

Hmmm, Maybe she has been sold. I know the Gardners were intertaining offers. I will get on the phone this afternoon and see if I can get the details.

It would be great to see her fly again restored in her White Lightning scheme.

[Leo]

Re: White Lightning

A lot of talk on the other boards hoping that she'd "finally" be restored in a "correct" scheme.
White Lightnin certainly carries colors with more history than most restored warbirds (no disrepect intended to the combat paint and the men and history behind them).
I miss some of the civilian paint schemes, they made these combat planes look a little like the sport planes their owners saw them as. Some were quite attractive.
Ah well, if I owned it I could make that decision....
Should we start a pool?

Leo

[jarrodeu]

Re: White Lightning

I think puting it back to stock would be the same as putting Strega, Dago, Bear, or Miss America back to stock. These planes have made their own history in air racing.
Jarrod

[Section3guy]

Re: White Lightning

yes i like the air race paint better any way but putting a plane back to milatary colers after having a long race history whould not be right

[440_Magnum]

Re: White Lightning

I certainly hope that she's not put back to stock and hung in a museum. Fully 90% of that airframe's history is AS a racer, not as a warbird.

[AirDOGGe]

Re: White Lightning

I would miss her, but I suppose it wouldn't be to bad to restore her to stock mil form, as long as you don't make White Lightning into a hangar or museum queen....That bird deserves to fly....

I loved seeing white lightning as a racer, but it never was competitive. leftly just raced her for the fun of the ride, so you either need to modify it drastically for racing (clipped merlin-powered Lightning?), or else return her to her original form, unless you have deep pockets and can afford to keep racing her as-is. (did White Lightning have a war history? Anyone know?)

I guess I'm been desensitized to the idea, once Stilleto was returned to stock form....Considering the mods that were made to that P-51, it was the last plane I would have expected to be converted back, yet it was....